Peninsula People

Former Homer resident Army Sgt. Ian R. Fernandez deployed overseas to a forward operation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Fernandez is a truck commander assigned to the 4th Battalion, 14th Cavalry at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks.

He is the stepson of Tom A. Hagen and a 2000 graduate of Homer High School.

Houser deploys to Iraq

Former Kasilof resident Sgt. Shad Houser de-ployed to Iraq. His unit is the 10th combat support hospital in Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.

His home base is Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, where his wife, Maria and daughter, Ashley, live.

He is the son of Cindy and Neil Houser, brother of Amy Williams of Kenai, Cherise Houser of Kasilof and Adam Milford of Massachusetts.

Lopeman honored

Kathy Lopeman, RNC. ONC nurse with the Central Peninsula General Hospital was awarded the Planetree Spirit of Caring Care Giver Award for her work with cancer patients and the Kenai Peninsula community. Lopeman has been a nurse at the hospital for 21 years.

Lopeman provides on-cology and infusion services at the hospital, is an advocate for cancer pa-tients throughout the peninsula, raises funds for the American Cancer Society by participating in the annual Polar Bear Plunge in Seward, and has organized the first Way Out Women Snowmachine Ride, which raised $26,000 to help area cancer patients with associated bills that insurance doesn't cover. She also has chaired the area Relay for Life committee for five years.